Us Open, Berrettini si arrende a Djokovic 3-1

Matteo fights and wins the 1st set, then falls and the cannibal from Belgrade beats him clearly: 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-3. He is in the semifinals with Zverev

The dream lasted for an hour and 17 minutes. Time for Matteo Berrettini to take home the first set 7-5 in the quarter final against Novak Djokovic. A sin of arrogance, ubris called it the ancient Greeks, of which humans who dared to challenge the gods stained themselves. And so, the Italian number 1, in the third consecutive challenge in a Grand Slam against the Supreme Serb, is forced to bow his head and suffer the furious reaction of the Djoker surrendering 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-3 in 3 hours and half. There are only two games left for the Grand Slam, the first on Friday against Zverev: “No, that’s enough, I don’t want to hear about it anymore – the No. 1 says annoyed -. I want to concentrate on the next game. Sascha beat me in Tokyo, he’s in confidence and wins from 16 games in a row “. Then he compliments Berrettini: “Matteo is an extraordinary player – he concludes before going to the shower -. His hammer is the most powerful and I am happy to have played a great match”.

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Devil Nole

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It wasn’t going to be easy, we knew. That Berrettini after returning from the injury that caused him to blow Tokyo was not at 100 percent of his condition in New York, too. But since tennis is the sport invented by the devil, then it is always possible for the imponderable to happen. May the prediction be subverted. The problem is that Novak Djokovic would be able to beat Beelzebub himself in tennis. And when the number 1 in the world is led by a supreme mission there is nothing, and no one who can get in the way. Not even Berrettini’s hammer, capable of crushing it in a corner in the first set before being melted in the flames of the demonic Nole.

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The match

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The first set is infinite. Exhausting. For those who play it and for those who follow it. A very high level in which the two really give it to each other like in the ring. Matteo’s serve shots, Djokovic’s answers in the feet, Matteo’s forehand pinching corners, Nole’s backhand passers-by. Endless games, like the 6th which lasts 12 minutes. It is there that the first earthquakes are felt, with a very dangerous Djoker who forces our team to save two break points. A war of nerves, but Berretto has his head on his shoulders and keeps the service. Immediately afterwards he is still going head to head, with the number 1 in the world forced to defend himself from two break opportunities. The arm wrestling continues until the 11th game, when it is Berrettini who gives a jerk: break! Goes to serve for the set: 15-0 after a long exchange. Ace, 30-0. Straight explosive diagonally, 40-0. The rush to close is so great that the scoreboard already scores 7-5. Brings bad, and in fact Berrettini with three free goes to the advantages. Ace. Other set point. Djokovic’s forehand goes after 1 hour and 17. Matteo wins the first set.

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The interval is enough to make Djokovic resume killer instinct. Nole is no longer wrong, on the contrary Matteo is in the throes of a black out. The Serbian snatches his joke and climbs up to 4-1 in an instant. The Roman tries a reaction, keeps the serve for the 4-2, then the number 1 in the world spreads, closing the set 6-2 with a second break. If 77 minutes were needed for the first set, in the second Berrettini gave up in 41 ‘.

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The third set starts with the Djoker always thirsty for blood and Berrettini who sinks 0-40 in his turn of service. The service does not work, and when it does, the other sends everything back to the sender doing wrong. Djokovic snatches his joke, confirms the advantage and is immediately 3-0. The Italian number 1 struggles, who pays for the fatigue of the first set, both mental and physical and cannot keep up with the burning accelerations of turbo-Nole who puts the ball where he wants. Berretto somehow tries to react, so much in the 7th game he earns a break point. But it does not exploit. The Serbian in full acceleration closes 5-2, then again tears the bar of the Roman by responding as a Martian and also goes to close the 3rd set 6-2. The fourth set proceeds according to the same script, Matteo is now on the ropes, not even the time to start who is 3-0 down, then 4-1. Finally in the 6th game our number 1 keeps the serve by scoring the ace number 17 for the 4-2. Will close 6-3.

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